1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a metal matrix monotape, particularly a monotape having metal particles of substantially uniform distribution.
2. The Prior Art
Composite monotapes are used in fabrication of high temperature fiber-reinforced metal alloy composite, for, e.g. lightweight aircraft parts. In such process, monotapes using, e.g. tungsten alloy fibers have been prepared. Alternatively, other metal alloy fibers or ceramic fibers have been thus employed.
The selected fiber once made, is then coated, e.g. with a resin binder solution containing metal particles which solution forms a coating around the monofiber or filament. The so-coated filament is then wound on a drum of closely spaced coils and then in some cases, coated with a secondary resin binder solution, the solvent of which however dissolves or resolvates the primary coating, which interrupts the distribution of metal particles in such primary coating and can result in spallation of such coating.
In other prior art such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,625 to Westfall (1985), the bare filament is wound on a mandrel in closely spaced coils and has but one coating, a metal spray applied thereto. This avoids the above resolvating problem and avoids interruption of the distribution of metal particles in such single coating. However, lacking a reinforcing flexible second coating means that again, such coating tends to be rigid. Then when the monofilament tape is cut off the mandrel for use in composite parts, such rigidity makes it unsuitable for complex geometry lay-ups.
Accordingly there is need and market for a method for producing a flexible metal matrix composite (MMC) monotape that substantially overcomes the above prior art shortcomings.
There has now been discovered a method for manufacturing a flexible matrix composite monotape in which the distribution of metal particles in the primary coating is substantially uniform rather than interrupted, to form a flexible monotape that is suitable for making high strength parts of complex geometry and the composite monotape produced by such method.